Philosophy 1290 – Assignment 1
PHIL1290
1. An intellectual virtue from the excerpt in the text below is that everything respectable in a man is his ability to identify his mistakes through discussions and experience. The only way a human being can make some approach to knowing the whole of a subject is by hearing what can be said about it by persons of every opinion and studying all modes in which it can be. When you share your beliefs, they can be discussed amongst others who may or may not share the same idea, and then you can consider whether your view is correct. A person who is deserving of their judgment comes through their ability that their belief was mistaken. This fits the definition of intellectual virtues because it shows his qualities of mind and character that promote intellectual flourishing, critical thinking, and the pursuit of truth.
2. This paragraph explains. The main point of the section is that the author describes how prosecutors and defense lawyers use the Adversarial legal system to act as zealous advocates for their respective parties since they have a professional responsibility to protect/help their party’s case. Since all evidence is in the control of the parties, as zealous advocates, lawyers are to raise fearlessly every issue, advance every argument, and ask questions, however distasteful it is, as long as it will help the case obtain the benefit of every remedy and defense authorized by law. It states that the prosecution's role ‘is not to obtain a conviction; it is to lay before a jury what the Crown considers credible evidence relevant to what is alleged to be a crime.’ Although the lawyer must protect their client, they must also consider that their performance is to be impassive.
3. a) The excerpt in the text explains. No argument is supplied; it simply tells us how the explanandum (wage increase) came to be. It explains that since the company lost a lot of money last year, there will be no wage increase this year.
b) This text is neither providing an explanation nor an argument. There are no reasons why religious belief would be nothing but superstition. Historians believe it has its beginnings in magic, and witchcraft does not indicate that it is a superstition.
4. a) It does not contain an argument.
b) It contains an argument. The conclusion is: “I shall not die.”
c) It does not contain an argument.
d) It contains an argument. The conclusion is: No one can know any claim with certainty.
e) It contains an argument. The conclusion is: Dieting is futile.
f) It does not contain an argument.
g) It does not contain an argument.
h) It does not contain an argument.
5. 1)...
